The 17-year-old native of Hamilton, Ont., was one of 22 players named to Team Canada that will represent the country at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament next week.

The tournament begins Monday Aug. 13, and runs until Saturday, Aug. 18 and will be held in Piestany, Slovakia and Breclav, Czech Republic.

Team Canada’s Under 18 roster was chosen Monday, after Canada’s National Summer Selection Camp was held last week at the MasterCard Centre in Toronto. Players on the national team are selected by scouts and coaches from Hockey Canada.

Hounds general manager Kyle Dubas wasn’t surprised Nurse was picked to be part of the U18 squad.

“He worked so hard during the summer and went in and had an outstanding camp (last week),” Dubas said Tuesday. “That’s a testament to him that he was able to go in there and maintain his work ethic throughout the summer.”

It is the third time the six-foot-four, 180-pound defenceman, was selected to be a part of the Hockey Canada Program of Excellence.

It’s a huge experience for young players to go up against other elite players of the same age on the world stage, Dubas said.

He said one of the goals of the Greyhounds, and of Hockey Canada, is to help players reach their full potential on and off the ice.

“It’s a great experience in every way. You get to see where you’re at versus the best (players) in the world. Anytime you’re able to test yourself in that way, it’s a real great opportunity,” he said. “It’s another opportunity for Darnell to show himself to NHL scouts and to the hockey industry.”

Nurse was part of Team Canada at the IIHF U18 World Championships in the Czech Republic in April.

He joined the national team as one of four underage players and earned a bronze medal with the national team at the tournament.

Nurse suited up last December with Team Ontario at the World U17 Hockey Challenge in Windsor, where he won a bronze medal and was also named to the tournament all-star team. He was selected in the first round, third overall, by the Hounds in the 2011 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection.

He played 53 games last season during his first year with the Hounds, scoring one goal and adding nine assists. He was a minus 15 in the plus/minus category.

Nurse was the Hounds rookie of the year last season.

He could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Russian-born forward Sergei Tolchinsky, drafted by the Hounds in the first round (12th round) of the Canadian Hockey League Import Draft in June, will also play in the Ivan Hlinka Memorial next week.

Tolchinsky, who is noncommittal about joining the Hounds this fall, will suit up for the Russians.

Tolchinsky and Nurse have already had some “head-to-head” battles in international competition, Dubas said.

“He and Darnell were both all-stars at the Under 17 tournament in Windsor … lt’ll be interesting.”

Gabe Guertler, a sixth round pick of the Hounds in the 2011 OHL draft, will also suit up with Team U.S.A. in the Hlinka tournament.

The Illinois native has not joined the Hounds since being drafted. He plays U.S. College Hockey.